How ‘The Young and the Restless’ Will Celebrate Lauralee Bell’s 40th Anniversary

Martin Holmes October 30, 2023, 9:32 am

Lauralee Bell on red carpet — Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images

The Young and the Restless is set to celebrate Lauralee Bell this Thursday, November 2, with a special standalone episode marking 40 years of Christine Blair on the long-running CBS soap opera.

Throughout the one-hour special, fans will be treated to highlights from some of Christine’s most memorable moments from across the past four decades. In addition, there will be new present-day footage, following Christine as she decides what’s next following her split from her husband and long-time love, Paul Williams (Doug Davidson).

Davidson was written out of the soap in 2018, but his character has remained a presence, albeit off-screen. In the October 25 episode, Christine confessed to her former flame (and ex-husband), Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian), that Paul had invited her to Portugal, which she took as a positive sign. But after talking it out, they realized the love wasn’t there anymore.

“We just don’t work together anymore. We both saw it so clearly,” she explained.

Does this open the door for Christine and Danny to rekindle their past romance? That will likely be one of the many considerations Christine is thinking about in Thursday’s upcoming special, which will see her discussing her future with the likes of Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), Nina (Tricia Cast), Esther (Kate Linder), and Danny himself.

Taking to social media to share a preview of the episode, Bell wrote, “Thursday’s @YandR_CBS will be filled with past clips with some of my favorite people but it will also be a bit different, mixed with a lot of present day! AND you get to see me say “Bite Me” one more time.”

Thursday’s @YandR_CBS will be filled with past clips with some of my favorite people but it will also be a bit different, mixed with a lot of present day! AND you get to see me say “Bite Me” one more time
Hope you’ll tune on Thursday! So grateful for our viewers! Some who have… pic.twitter.com/lKvrbLgblM

— Lauralee Bell (@LauraleeB4real) October 28, 2023

“Hope you’ll tune on Thursday! So grateful for our viewers! Some who have been along for the ride since Jabot Junior! Appreciate you!” she continued.

Bell, who is the daughter of The Young and the Restless co-creators Bill Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, began playing “Cricket” Blair back in 1983. Her character started out as a teen model before becoming a legal aid lawyer in later years, where she dropped the moniker “Cricket” and started going by the name “Christine.”

The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS